Adjustable length folding legs for ironing boards



J. MERNER Nov. 28, 1950 ADJUSTABLE LENGTH FOLDING LEGS FOR IRONING BOARDS Filed Sept. 7, 1946 A7 TORNEY.

face fitting snugly against the inner curved surface of the foot section 16, is carried on the shank of the bolt [8. A winged nut 20 is threaded to the shank of the bolt 18 and presses against the washer 19 to clamp such washer against the foot section I6 and the latter against lower portion of leg ll, thus holding the section I6 in the selected position. The foot sections may be provided with rubber feet 2|, as is well known in this art.

Because the forward leg H has a different angular slope relative to the board than the rear legs, it requires a greater distance between selected adjustable positions to eifectuate the same ultimate adjustment in height as that accomplished by the rearward legs with a shorter dis- :tance between selectable adjustable positions. *Therefore, in order to permit the user to make :adjustments which automatically keep the ironving board level, the respective foot sections are provided with indicating marks 22 etched or otherwise formed in the outer surface of the foot ,section l6.. These marks are appropriately .spaced depending upon the leg to which the foot ;.section is to be interfitted. When one of the Jindicating marks 22 is in substantial alinement with the bottom edge of leg H, a predetermined :selected position is gauged. In the particular \embodiment described herein, there are four such predetermined selectable positions, and in the .View of Fig. 2 the foot section It is in the third position. If each of the other foot sections are also placed in the same third position by so gauging the indicating marks, the ironing board will be kept level. Thus, the user may readily make adjustments in the height of the ironing board surface and by the use of these visual gauges be assured that the ironing board will be kept in its level position at the newly selected height.

In order to assist the clamp l8, l9, and 20 to hold the foot section ii; in the selected position, there is provided in the marginal edges of the slot i! a pluralit of spaced protuberances 23. These protuberances are raised above the surface of the foot section l6, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, and bear against the lower edge of the washer i9, thus increasing the resistance of the foot section [6 to upward movement relative to the leg ll. When the clamp is loosened by unscrewing the winged nut 29 and the foot section l6 moved relatively to the leg, the protuberances 23 when they ride under the washer I9 offer greater resistance to such movement. This increased resistance will indicate to the user that one of the predetermined selectable positions has been reached. As the spacing between the protuberances 23 and the indicating marks 22 is the same, one of the marks 22 Will be alined with the bottom of the leg when a respective protuberance abuts the lower edge of the washer l9. Thus, the user has two ways of gauging when a selectable position has been reached.

While in this construction the foot section has 0 Number been preferably shown telescoped within the leg, substantially the same results may be obtained if the position of the parts were reversed, in which case the indicator marks, protuberances, and elongated slot could all be positioned on the leg rather than on the foot section.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that this application is intended to cover such changes or modifications as come within the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claim.

I claim:

In an ironing board having folding leg members disposed in difierent angular positions with respect to the board when positioned to support the board in operative position substantially pararallel to a horizontal supporting surface, means incorporated ineach leg for adjusting the length thereof for varying the height of the board above said surface comprising telescopically interfitted members including a foot section and a leg section, manually operable means for securing said sections in adjusted positions, and complemental gauge means carried by each leg member to aid in adjusting the foot sections with respect to the leg sections respectively, to assure a substantially horizontal position of the board at different heights above said supporting surface, said gauge means including calibrations on one of the sections of each leg member, and registering gauge means on the other of said sections of each leg member, the calibrations on the several leg members being spaced different distances apart to compensate for the difierent angular positions of the respective legs with respect to the board, and protuberances provided on one of said sections of each leg member correlated with said calibrations and cooperable with said securing means to facilitate positioning the several foot sections in respect to their respective leg sections.

JOHN MERNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Vail May 6, 1884 Alliger Mar. 26, 1889 Bobrick Dec. 19, 1893 Jessen Sept. 8, 1908 Trautwein July 24, 1917 Horbath Apr. 9, 1929 Willis Aug. 20, 1929 Porter Aug. '7, 1934 Hanson et a1. Nov. 12, 1935 Redmer Jan. 21, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 1905 

